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Canberra - Brumbies head coach Dan McKellar has made three changes to the team that will take on the Reds at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 11:45 SA time.
Matt Lucas, Chance Peni and Tom Banks are given the opportunity to shine as McKellar looks to get his team back on track having been defeated by the Waratahs at the same venue a week ago.
The fixture with the Reds will see the Brumbies compete for the Rod Macqueen trophy, and a win for the home side will see them retain the Cup they hold from 2017. The Reds meanwhile, thanks to their success in the match in Brisbane earlier this season, can wrest the cup back to Brisbane with a success.
Scrum-half Lucas makes his first start for the Brumbies having been a replacement in each of his previous five appearances and will look to kick-start the backline into action in partnership with Wharenui Hawera.
The other two changes are in the back three where Chance Peni returns to the left-wing having missed the games against the Sharks and Waratahs, replacing Lausii Taliauli, whilst Tom Banks is in at fullback ahead of Andrew Muirhead.
There are a further three changes amongst the replacements with co-captain Sam Carter deemed fit after a prolonged absence, after suffering a heavy knock to the head against the Rebels in Melbourne.
Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin returns as cover in the front row for the unlucky Mees Erasmus who, despite being named on the bench last week, was unfortunate not to get his first Brumbies cap.
There is an opportunity for Erasmus’ former Force colleague James Verity-Amm to make his Brumbies bow however, as the flying wing is named as backs cover and stands in line for a debut appearance.
It’s a weekend for milestones as well as the Brumbies celebrate Fijian speedster Henry Speight winning his 100th cap for the club, a sensational achievement, whilst lock Rory Arnold and prop Allan Alaalatoa will both reach the fifty-cap milestone for the Brumbies when they take to the field.
Teams:
Brumbies
15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Lealiifano (captain), 11 Chance Peni, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 9 Matt Lucas, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 David Pocock, 6 Lachlan McCaffrey, 5 Rory Arnold, 4 Blake Enever, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Faingaa, 1 Scott Sio
Substitutes: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Faalelei Sione, 18 Les Leuluaialii-Makin, 19 Sam Carter, 20 Tom Cusack, 21 Joe Powell, 22 Kyle Godwin, 23 James Verity-Amm
Reds
15 Aidan Toua, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Jono Lance, 9 Ben Lucas, 8 Scott Higginbotham (captain), 7 Adam Korczyk, 6 Caleb Timu, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 James Slipper
Substitutes: 16 Alex Mafi, 17 JP Smith, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Lukhan Tui, 20 Liam Wright, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Hamish Stewart, 23 Jordan Petaia
